S I N C E
1 8 9 5
Rock Island Tape Centre (RITC)
We match all TELUS cell phone, Optik TV and Internet Offers.
WEDNESDAY
BONUS!
JANUARY 27, 2016 Vol. 121, $ 05 Issue 14
Follow us online
PROUDLY SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF ROSSLAND, WARFIELD, TRAIL, MONTROSE, FRUITVALE & SALMO
1
Rock Island gives money back!
We will not be beat! Rock Island Tape Centre Ltd (RITC)
1479 Bay Ave, Trail, 250-368-8288
INCLUDING G.S.T.
Group presents petition to keep bus exchange in present location Users claim relocation would be detrimental for seniors and those with physical challenges SHERI REGNIER Trail Times
Guy Bertrand photo
Reports of relocating the main exchange for BC Transit on Cedar Ave. in Trail has prompted several regular users of the bus service to voice their objections through a petition. The group suggested improving the shelter area at the current exchange as a step forward.
Trail library kicks off campaign to raise funds for new furnishings NEW LISTING
VALERIE ROSSI Trail Times
The community deserves a first-rate library from the inside out, according to Barbara Gibson. The Trail and District Public Library board chair is counting the months until the dream of a new facility breaks ground this year. Until then, she has turned her efforts toward raising funds to furnish the new state-of-the-art facility. “We want the new library to be
GREAT VALUE
Delisa Woolls relies on the city bus to travel from downtown Trail to the Beaver Valley and beyond. So the proposal for BC Transit to consider moving the main exchange on Cedar Avenue struck a nerve with Woolls and her acquaintances who live and work at the south end of town. The group’s opposition to relocating the stop took form in a petition that Woolls recently submitted to the City of Trail. She highlights the profound impact any change would have on her and at least 40 others living with physical challenges. “Our place of residence, Jubilee Place, is an apartment building for seniors on low income,” she explained, adding 34 people live in the building and most don’t drive. Several Jubilee Manor resi-
the social and intellectual hub of the community and the cultural hub, of course, with the museum there as well,” she said. “Once the library drawings are complete, and people see the amount of space involved where people can interact, I think they’re going to see the need for themselves of new furniture, new shelving, and equipment.” “Starting a New Chapter,” a $400,000 campaign that kicked off this month, invites the community to help furnish the new
MAKE AN OFFER
dents require walking aids, and two are in wheelchairs. “Those of us who use walkers have physical impairments that affect our ability to walk, which therefore cause us to walk at a slower pace,” Woolls added. “Some of us also experience some pain and discomfort even though we use a walker.” The petition also circulated next door to the manor at Alpha House and down the avenue at Career Development Services. “They were interested in signing it too,” she said. “So it well represents our interests in being able to easily access the bus and keep it (the stop) where it is now.” The Cedar Avenue exchange is located outside the old Eaton’s building (former Liquidation World). It’s the closest stop for Woolls and others to catch Trail Transit and head to the mall or transfer buses to surrounding communities. If the main exchange was moved and distance extended, Woolls points out a longer walk may not be feasible for those who depend upon the service for travel. “For some us, even though we do not use walkers, we still
facility. The dollars raised will cover the cost of new shelving and seating in the adult area, a new children’s area, new public access computers, IT hardware, a staff workroom, a circulation desk and a children and adult programming room. “This is something that pretty desperately needs to happen,” said Gibson, a sentiment shared by library director Kathryn Foley. “If we’re going to be in the same building for over 90 years again, we’re trying to plan ahead, so it’s a
find it an effort to walk and some of us do use canes,” she said. “The further we walk with our walkers, the more discomfort, pain, and fatigue we experience.” Lack of amenities, poor lighting, inadequate signage and scanty shelter are reasons local transit has long championed the idea of moving the main bus location elsewhere. Improvements are limited because the aging Eaton’s building is privately owned, which impedes the opportunity to upgrade the property with signs and awnings. Notably, talks about relocation are preliminary. Additionally, the West Kootenay Transit Committee (WKTC) has yet to seriously engage with Trail, who must be a key member of the discussion as the city will ultimately have to agree to any change. Though resolution is far down the line, the proposal is on the city’s radar. Trail Mayor Mike Martin forwarded Woolls’ petition to the East End Services during the Jan. 12 regional meeting. “It is very early on in the review process being undertaken by BC Transit to CONTINUED ON A2
really usable space,” Foley added. The library will upcycle and reuse what they have but Foley points to old clunky built-in shelves, for example, at the front of the current location in the Trail Memorial Centre that will need to be replaced. “We want shelving that is movable so that we can continually change usage from time to time in the library area,” said Foley. “We’re planning on having some shelving on wheels so we can free CONTINUED ON A2
Contact the Times:
COMMERCIAL
Phone: 250-368-8551 FineLine Technologies JN866-897-0678 62937 Index 9 Fax: 80% 1.5 BWR NU Newsroom: 250-364-1242
Canada Post, Contract number 42068012
2 - 2720 St. Paul St, Rossland
#
Brand New ½ Duplex
$259,000
1379 Columbia Ave, Trail
1170 Davis Street, Rossland
1265 Bay Ave, Downtown Trail
$222,500
$275,000
$195,000
Waneta Village Alternative!
4 bed 2 bath Family Home!
2450 sq ft Building
To view ALL of our listings, visit us online at greatertrailrealestate.com realestate.com
Thea 250.231.1661
Mario 250.368.1027
RE/MAX All Pro Realty Ltd.